Something about it is ethereal, slow like she's still trying to process everything. I wonder if she has no memory of the night before— it would be a mercy, I'm sure.
"Yeah." I nod. "Does anything hurt? Aches, pains..." I clear my throat, and she furrows her eyebrows at me.
"Who are you?"
"I found you..." I explain again. "In the cornfield. I couldn't leave you out there, so I brought you here..."
"Where'shere?"
Vaguely, I wonder whether she could have developed brain damage. Most of the damage to her looked to have been sexual in nature, but there is a bruise on the side of her face, like someone hit her there.
"My house."
The door opens and the woman jumps to her feet, though the motions are strange... halting.
"Oh, poor dear." Natalie sighs upon seeing her. Her lips turn to a frown, and I think her eyes shine with tears before she manages a weak little smile. "You must be so confused."
My little wraith blinks, looks down at herself again, as if realizing just now that she's completely nude. She doesn't make any move to cover herself, to my surprise.
"I feel... different."
"Probably the drugs working their way out of your system," I explain. "Be careful you don't fall. You look unsteady on your feet."
She looks down at her feet, as if seeking proof, and I see her sway again. I reach out for her, but she slips away from me, her eyes sliding from me back to Natalie.
"What's going on?"
I watch Natalie bite her lip, glancing at me. "You've… you’ve died, dear."
"Died?"
I stare at Natalie, waiting for her to laugh. She's not one to joke, unlike her husband and their youngest daughter, who think everything is funny.
"I'm so sorry." She says, crossing to where my treasure stands with her arms at her sides, wearing nothing but confusion.
I watch Natalie wrap the blanket in her hands a moment before draping it around the girl's shoulders, cloaking her body from view.
"It seems you didn't make it."
I blink, wondering if Natalie is suffering a psychotic break. She's never seemed particularly disturbed, but I suppose that could have been something she's worked hard to hide. After all, we're just roommates, not exactly friends. I like them all, of course, but I keep to myself for the most part. I don't understand how she can't see the woman before us is clearly alive. She doesn't evenlookdead; the bath did her good, and she'sexquisite... clean and soft, though I can see the discoloration from the bruises they left on her fair skin.
"I didn't make it?"
Natalie purses her lips, sliding her fingers beneath the woman's chin so her gentle eyes can appraise her.
"Do you remember what happened?"
"I..." The woman nods her head, swallowing. "I was sick."
"I'm so sorry." Natalie repeats, her lips tugging downward.
"I told them I was sick, but they didn't let me go."
"What's your name?" I ask her, trying to steer her back to reality.
She turns to me like she forgot I was there and blinks again, slowly, like she's searching for the information I just asked of her.
"Gianna."
